New Items !!!

So the whole Etsy thing got started and then got put on hold for a mountain of school work! But I took a bunch of pictures today and have just posted them!
I realize the quality is far from professional! It's a modest little endeavor I've taken on.
I hope to be putting up a few more items this week! And the measurements will be up either later tonight or tomorrow at the latest!

Ash Wednesday

Today is Ash Wednesday and that means Lent is upon us yet again! Every year I give up chocolate or alcohol, which I realize now is silly since neither of them are that important to me!
This year, I'm going for a real hard one and I'm giving up pasta all together! That means no spaghetti, no rigatoni, no ravioli and no homemade spaghetti sauce!
This may not seem like that difficult a task to others, but it's been my absolute favourite meal in any form since I was able to eat solid food! I can only imagine that 40 days without the stuff might leave me feeling some serious symptoms of withdrawal....then again it might also yield incredible results in getting me back down to the size I was last summer!
It will also help that with Mike gone, I'll probably freak out and spend all my time at the gym trying to distract myself! (Yeah we're co-dependent like that!)

Does anyone else still do Lent?

An ode to Winter Coats!

I've come to terms with the weather here. I've decided to suck it up and embrace the Narnia inspired wonderland, created by the snow and the sun...and just stop complaining about it! I'm the one who chooses to stay here, after all! I could go away, somewhere else, and live in the sunshine and warmth all year round, but something about this place holds my heart and so I need to stop talking badly about it!

Here are four of my favourite winter coats, which help to make winter feel a little less oppressive....putting them on in the morning somehow makes it ok that I have nothing to wear out of the house! In fact it allows me to wear the same 3 or 4 outfits all winter long without feeling guilty!

Grey coat with faux fur trim on collar and wrists from Liebe Marlene Vintage.

Black, wool knee length coat with a hood from Value Village last winter!

Vintage, light blue, knee length wool coat with wonderful 1960's big buttons and the perfect sleeve length from E.R.A. Vintage (I've been told their website will be up and running by the end of March)

My all time favourite..Vintage, Erlebacher, Cream coloured, wool coat with black sparkly buttons. It dresses up absolutely any outfit! Also an E.R.A. vintage find!

And there you have it! Four wonderful reasons for me to love the remaining winter months, simply because I got sick of hearing myself complain! I hope you can find something lovely of your own to make the best of what's left!

P.S. I may be compensating for my lack of inspiration over the last couple of weeks by posting more than one blog in a day!!!

Short VS Long

Stanwyck Found via Flickr

Found at Shorpy (Thanks Libby)

Recently it's been incredibly hard to stick with the growing-out process my hair is going through. It's so tempting looking at all these pictures from the 1920's of girls with the cutest little bobs, to snip mine off and wear a little cloche hat or head band every day!

From Issue 7 of Lula

But I'm sticking to my guns, I haven't had long hair since high school and I'd love to know what its like in summer to be able to pile it all on top of my head like the Gibson Girls did, or let it loose and frizzy like some of my favourite silent film stars!

Stamp with a Gibson Girl on it found via my History teacher!

I think tonight when I get home I'll create a little inspiration collage for myself and put it up by my mirror or something for inspiration!

Mabel Normand found here

Does anyone have tips on how to make your hair grow faster?

Fall-ready?

Spring has never been one of my favourite seasons. Although I understand the reasons people have for loving it, to me it implies wet, slushy streets, bad smells, allergies and awkward-in-between-warm-and-cold weather. Don't get me wrong, shedding a few layers is as motivating to me as anyone else, I would rather just skip spring all together and get an extra month or two of summer in there!
Maybe in other places Spring is more enjoyable, or maybe I'm just so filled with bitterness for winter, it takes me those one or two spring months to actually get over that anger!



Either way, if it were up to me, our year would be a constant rotation of Summer, Fall (and maybe a short snowy period for the White Christmas effect)...
Fall has to be my favourite season of all, so it's hard not to get excited looking at all the runway stuff that's out already! I've barely finished putting together my Spring and Summer wardrobe and already the idea of darker fall colors and structured sweater and pant looks have got my heart all a flutter!

I realize this is so premature, since Montreal hasn't even given us a chance to get excited for Spring fashions yet! But maybe I'll try to find some thrifted or vintage versions of some of my favourite runway looks right now! If I can manage to recreate them using lighter fabrics or Spring time pastels, it might make it more exciting to dress up in the morning, rather than layering on the same sweaters and skirts and doubled up tights I wind up putting on every morning!

I'm sure lots of other places are in the same situation...how do you guys cope with being stuck in winter when all the window displays are filled with light, Spring clothes?

Also, I want to get my hair to look like this!! Someone tell me how!

Some more Springtime Optimism

Clemence Poesy looking lovely in mismatched florals in Nylon's April 08 issue
A picture I believe I stole from lookbook of the most perfect pair of round sunglasses on a girl whose hair will soon be mine!
A lacy black number because I still havn't let go of those darker Lula looks from the last issue
Lillian Gish looking positively serene with the most beautiful headband!

I've chosen to ignore all the weather reports saying we're going to be getting another 15-20 cm of snow tonight here in Montreal. Instead, I'm flipping through my "inspiration" folder and letting myself dream about light weight fabric, shoes with heels, freckles, straw hats (I cannot emphasize my love for them enough) and pastels!

(From Top Left to Bottom Right) 1. Cutest shorts from Life with a Bird 2. The most wonderful pants look from Kate Sylvester 3. A perfect Blouse from Cohen et Sabine 4. & 5. Lovely, sheer floral numbers from Charlotte Ronson 6. Another perfect Luella creation

I am no good at collages, especially on the computer, so here are a few photos that outline some of the things I'm looking most forward to in the upcoming spring and summer months. I've tried to choose pictures I didn't already post in my half a dozen previous "i want spring" posts!

Platform, 70's inspired sandals by Chloe...although I'll gladly accept any knock off version!
not that she could look bad, but Zooey Deschanel looks awesome in tights and shorts...
Another streetstyle look stolen from one of the many sites I check on a daily basis...I am kind of in love with the blouse and hat this girl is wearing!
Mimi Weddell making me fall even more in love with the super girly nautical looks that are everywhere this season1
One of my favourite issues of Lula to date...with Kirsten combining all the perfect spring colors together!
I'm going to have to invest in a few other shades of lipstick and nailpolish!

I realize the next two months are going to fly right by what with midterm exams and papers being due, and Mike leaving on tour for most of March in Europe...I just can't wait for the nice weather and my long walks with Lola discovering cool new spots in my neighbourhood with Stef!

Today I walked by a church across from our apartment that is having a flea market next Friday February 26th from 3pm until Sunday March 1st at 4pm!
I will be out of town on the Saturday and Sunday, but someone join me on the Friday night?!

The Griffintown Cafe

Sunday morning was a lovely morning, the first one we've had warm enough to walk Lola for longer than 5 minutes.
So Mike and I headed out down Notre Dame street to find a cute breakfast spot that might be pooch friendly.
We had basically given up our search when we realized Notre Dame street as a whole, shuts down on Sundays...but then we found the Griffintown Cafe!
The owner, Nick served us delicious cafe au laits and toast and made us feel right at home asking about what kinds of foods we'd like it if he served and generally just being friendly.
We found out that on friday nights around 7pm, they have live musicians in to play 30's and 40's style blues music, and that "some nights, it even gets the people dancing! YOU could certainly dance if you'd want to!"

I'll be heading there Friday night with Mike to see what it's all about! You should come!!!!!
(They serve McAuslan Stout for the tasty brew readers and reviewers who are reading this!)

Feeling Blue

Dolores Costello taken from this Flickr group

I'm overwhelmed by the never ending mountain of school work being thrown at me!
I wish I could spend my days grabbing coffee to go and walking my dog down Notre Dame street, getting to know the owners of all the cute cafes and antique stores along the way!

Warmer weather (though not yet qualifying as warm weather) is setting in finally, and I've been able to walk to work twice this week which has been a treat!

My new collection of vintage furs (two collars to sew on to cardigans and one beautiful spring coat I have yet to feature here!) is making me pretty happy though, and making those two or three remaining cold months seem less dreary!
Next week is reading week, which means no classes! Although I have tons and tons of homework to do, I think I'll try to find the time to add a bunch of the dresses I have waiting for my etsy shop! I'll make sure to post them here!

Saved to my pictures, but I can't remember from where! Sorry!

Have a lovely Monday night!

Red Letter Days Vintage

I just posted my two very first items on Etsy. I am so nervous about it! I am terrible at picture taking and my descriptions feel so silly and amateurish!
Hopefully I'll get the hang of it and make the look of the store more professional eventually!

Go check it out here!!!! I'll be posting the link on the right hand side of my blog soon and am hoping to add 2 dresses a week for the beginning, assuming they sell!


Tell anyone you know!! I can use all the word of mouth I can get!!

If any other online sellers have any tips, PLEASE don't be shy to e-mail them to me!
meaghanfkelly@gmail.com
or post them in a comment here!

Herbert Niro

My day started off wonderfully on Friday when the weather was finally good enough for me to walk home from work! I took my favourite route, walking along Notre Dame street to peer into the windows of all the lovely antique shops. I even made a stop at my favourite, E.R.A. to say hi to the owner, Elaine, who roped me in with her lovely stuff again. I ended up spending more than my budget for a lovely spring coat with the most wonderful clear flower buttons and an absolutely dreamy black fur collar!!! Since I had nothing to do until later and nobody was at my apartment, I stopped in at a cafe I'd been meaning to try for a cafe au lait and some magazine reading!!! It was the most lovely Friday afternoon I've spent in ages!

Mike and I worked very hard this weekend to create a perfect balance of spooky and romantic!Mike tempting William with a candle-roasted marshmallow...

The roasting process...which was strange and chemically tasting....

My attempt at looking witch like...
dress: vintage
tights; love colour tights
shoes; aldo
headband; forever 21

Mike feeding a martini to my new mink collar...I freaked out a little bit when I actually saw its little feet...

Though our plans for a midnight picnic in a cemetery with candles was foiled by cold weather, our indoor picnic with marshmallows and candles worked out very nicely! That is until I got just a tiny bit too spooked by the horror movie we were watching and made Mike turn all the lights on in the house and inspect it for ghosts or serial killers.

Yesterday was Valentine's Day, and although Mike isn't big on the holiday, his thoughtful offering of Hot Cross buns (my favourite dessert, which unfortunately only comes out once a year around Easter) and mini eggs with an absolutely adorable vintage Valentine card was romance enough for me!
I spent my afternoon with Stef in my bed reading blogs, drinking tea and making Herbert for Mike!

Herbert

This little teddy bear is made out of an old pillow case and I sewed him by hand because I still havn't figured out how to thread Stef's sewing machine! I'm pretty proud of him even if he does look pretty silly....
After our small gift exchange, my Mom and Grandmaman came to pick us up and bring us to Mike's mom's show! She's in the most wonderful musical ensemble who put together these wonderful medleys once a year and it was more than enjoyable! Mike took me out for a dirty martini at The Burgundy Lion afterwards where they happened to be playing a series of songs by the Cure!

The absolutely lovely coat I bought from ERA and my new Forever 21 skirt

Happy to be reunited, Stef, Lola, William (under the table) and I

When we got home, Stef and William joined us and Lola was waiting for me (she's been staying at my parents house because of the exterminator and all that)!!!

It was one of the greatest Valentine's days I've had in a long time! Surrounded by people I adore with no expectations and tons of love!

I hope all of your days were just as special!!!

Designer Obsession

I know I've posted about her before, probably several times...but it just isn't healthy how obsessed I am with Erin Fetherston.
The thing is, although her designs are absolutely adorable in the way they manage to combine chic and cozy flawlessy...its not her designs I'm obsessed with...it's Erin Fetherson herself that I'm inspired by!
From her adorable hair cut, to the perfectly adorable way she wears mini dresses and platform shoes, she brings out a side of me so girly I didn't think it was possible!
I catch myself spending up to an hour at a time just clicking mindlessly through my "erin" folder in my inspiration photos contemplating cutting my bangs like hers and dying my hair lighter!




Maybe some day I'll actually go through with it...it was after all, one of my New Year's resolutions to be more daring when it comes to hair changes!

The Coop

I came home from my midterm today feeling slightly under the weather, but rejuvenated by the feeling of accomplishment I got from doing well on my exam.
I decided to finish up the bathroom cleanup I started last night, and headed to the store to buy a whole bunch of efficient cleaning supplies.
An hour in, feeling a lot like cinderella on my hands and knees scrubbing behind the toilet, I got a second wind and suddenly was charged and ready to tackle the rest of the apartment.
For those of you who don't know, our apartment got infested with bedbugs about a month ago. The problem is all gone now, the exterminator came, he guaranteed they will never show their faces here again...but due to the spray they used for the extermination, we weren't allowed to wash our floors for over a month! Needless to say a dinky little mop wouldn't do the trick in getting them to be as sparkly as I wanted!

I started this job at 1h30 pm....It is now 9pm on the dot and I just sat down for the first time! I also just realized I havn't eaten anything today! I guess I was pretty hyper focused on my cleaning!

Well, seeing as I have all day at work tomorrow to do my school reading, I think I am going to take a shower, curl up in pyjamas and watch the two Clara Bow silent films I got from Zip.ca!
Parisian Love and Down to the Sea in Ships.

Here are some pictures of my apartment after my spring cleaning rampage...















Now you know where I live!